Who we are
The narralive team focuses on human to computer and human to human interaction that enhances the visitor experience through storytelling and perspective changing experiences. Our goal is to support cultural heritage sites to create meaningful experiences for their audiences, by providing them with innovative tools and targeted design guidelines.
Prof. Yannis Ioannidis (PhD, Computer Science, UC Berkeley, 1986 – MSc, Applied Mathematics, Harvard University, 1983 – Diploma, Electrical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 1982) is the President and General Director of the “Athena” Research and Innovation Center as well as a Professor at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. His research interests include Database and Information Systems, Data Infrastructures and Digital Repositories, Data Science, Scalable Data Processing, Data and Text Analytics, and Recommender Systems and Personalization, topics on which he has published over 150 articles in leading journals and conferences and also holds three patents. His work is often inspired by and applied to data management problems that arise in industrial environments or in the context of other scientific fields (Cultural Heritage, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Biodiversity). He has been the coordinator of several European and national research and innovation projects and a partner in tens of others, and has led or is currently leading the creation of new international or spin-off companies. He is an ACM and IEEE Fellow, a member of Academia Europaea, and a recipient of several research and teaching awards. He is currently serving as the Secretary / Treasurer of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) and is a member of the ACM Europe Council. He is a vice chair of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), the Greek delegate to ESFRI and a member of its Executive Board, and the ESFRI representative to the e-Infrastructures Reflection Group (e-IRG).
Prof. Maria Roussou is currently an Assistant Professor in Interactive Systems (Human Computer Interaction, Virtual Reality, Videogames) at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of London (UCL), a Master in Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Electronic Visualization from the School of Art and Design, University of Illinois at Chicago, a Masters of Science (M.Sc) in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science from the same university, and an undergraduate degree in Applied Informatics from the Athens University of Economics and Business.
In 2003 she founded and co-directed (until 2016) “makebelieve”, a consulting company designing digital experiences for museums. Previously, she established (in 1998) and directed (until 2003) the Virtual Reality Department at the Foundation of the Hellenic World. where she was responsible for setting up the immersive projection-based VR exhibits and managing the research, design and development of the VR programs and related visitor experiences. For most of the nineties (1993-1997), during her extensive work with the CAVE® at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory in Chicago, she focused on the design, application, and evaluation of virtual and digital media environments for education and the representation of cultural information.
Maria has published over 90 refereed journal and conference papers, mostly in the areas of virtual reality & education and digital heritage. Her recent research projects include EMOTIVE (11/2016-11/2019), the CHESS Project (02/2011-04/2014), in which she led the User-Centered Design & Scenarios work, and the MAGELLAN Project (2013 – 2017), in which she worked on usability and user experience evaluation. She is an active member of a number of professional organizations, such as ACM as a Senior Member and as Vice Chair of the Greek ACM SIGCHI Professional Chapter and the Greek ACM-W Chapter), IEEE, and ICOM. She is the recipient of the 2013 Tartessos Award for her contribution in Digital Heritage and Virtual Archaeology.
Katerina El Raheb is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Performing and Digital Arts of the University of Peloponnese in “Computing Applications in Performing Arts”. She has collaborated with Athena Research and Innovation Center, and the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) since 2009 as an adjunct researcher in Human Computer Interaction. Her work focuses on projects that investigate technologies for cultural Heritage, artistic creation and education (e.g., WhoLoDance, Bridges, Aria, Transitionto8) and focuses on the human-centric design and methodologies that consider the embodied, moving, expressive, social multifaceted human needs. She holds a PhD from the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications at the NKUA, a MSc. in Advanced Information Systems from the same department, a BSc. in Chemical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, a diploma in classical and contemporary dance (Professional Dance School “Niki Kontaxaki”) and practical experience as dance artist. She was born in Alexandria, Egypt.
Vivi completed her studies as a computer engineer in the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens. She was directly involved in research projects related to virtual museums and digital experiences for heritage, working initially as a programmer and later as an analyst and experience designer. Her interests span across different research areas of computer science, including computer human interaction, personalization, experience design and evaluation, and she has authored several papers in these fields. Working closely with heritage experts made her realize that a common cross-domain language and mutual understanding are crucial for digital heritage to be truly meaningful and she is working to cultivate this within all projects of the team, including the EU funded CHESS and the EMOTIVE research programmes.
Maria is a research associate at the “Athena” Research and Innovation Center in Information, Communication and Knowledge Technologies and the University of Athens. She is also PhD candidate in History of Art, holding a BS degree from the University of Athens in Archaeology and History of Art, an MSc degree in History of Art from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an MSc from the Hellenic Open University in Cultural Organisations Management. Her research interests are on the diffusion of innovation in cultural organisations, open data, preservation and reuse of cultural heritage, and new management approaches of collections and museums. Since 2005, she has been working in several European and national funded projects related to ICT in the Cultural Heritage domain.
Chris was introduced to the narralive team in 2014 while he was searching to start a project, as part of his undergraduate thesis, related to his interest in the field of human-computer interaction. He and the team had a great collaboration and even after two years of working as a web developer at CERN and completing the mandatory military service, they didn’t lose touch and he finally joined them in January of 2017 as a full time research associate and software engineer. Since then he has been involved in the designing and development process of the team’s authoring and experiencing systems, as well as the evaluation and testing of these tools. That is an ideal way for Chris to satisfy his passion for creating usable and easy to learn user interfaces, engaging user experiences and experiences with educational value based on interactive digital storytelling. In the meantime, he got a Master’s degree in Computer Science, where he also got to know virtual reality. It was love on first sight and after completing his first semester project he continued his relationship with VR in the team’s projects and his master’s thesis.
Myrto studied Archaeology at the University of Athens but later on decided that it was worth trying her luck in Computer Science, too. As a result, she is currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Technologies of Informatics and Telecommunications at the Dep. of Informatics and Telecommunications of the same university. She has been working as a software developer and research associate at the Athena Research and Innovation Center in Athens since November 2017. She joined the narralive team in July 2019. Her research interests include the modelling and management of cultural heritage data and she is also involved in developing a question answering system for cultural storytelling experiences.
Dimitra holds a B.Sc. in Library Science and Information Systems from the Τechnological Educational Institution of Athens and an M.A. in Museum Studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She brings to the team a museum expert’s perspective and when not applying the team’s technological solutions to new experiences, she acts as a link to the museums and cultural heritage institutions the team collaborates with and works on requirements and evaluation.
Dimitra holds a B.Sc. in Library Science and Information Systems from the Τechnological Educational Institution of Athens and an M.A. in Museum Studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Lori studied Computer Science at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and was introduced to the narralive team in 2020, while developing a web application for the “WhoLoDance” project as her undergraduate thesis. Being a dancer and an art enthusiast, she is fascinated by the concept of developing software purposed to present and express different art forms in modern and interactive ways. She is very interested in game development at all its stages- the creation of the story, the conceptual and technical design and development. Lori joined the team in April 2020 as a software engineer, to work on the design and development of the new Web Experiencing tool.
Giorgos studied Computer Science at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and was introduced to the narralive team in 2020, while developing a VR application in the context of a research experiment as his undergraduate thesis. The VR world captivated him as he got a taste of the infinite possibilities that Virtual Reality has to offer and helped him, as a technology enthusiast, to satisfy his passion. Today he is working in the narralive team as a software engineer.
Katerina studied archaeology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, when digital technology was nothing less than science fiction. Although she fell in love with archaeology and excavations, she wandered in different professional paths, mainly in advertising, where she discovered the magic of creative writing. Through this experience she came back to the world of archaeology, as a writer of archaeological guides and children’s books. In 2012 she came back to the University as well, and she got her Master’s degree in Museum Studies by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the University of West Attica. There she decided that the combination of digital technology and cultural storytelling is her new professional goal. At this point, she was lucky enough to meet members of MaDgIK group [of the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Athena Research and Innovation Center], who gave her the fascinating chance to work with them as a writer of digital storytelling for museums and archaeological sites. Lately, her research interests are starting to branch out into the evaluation of digital storytelling in the domain of cultural heritage.
Katerina studied archaeology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, when digital technology was nothing less than science fiction. Although she fell in love with archaeology and excavations, she wandered in different professional paths, mainly in advertising, where she discovered the magic of creative writing. Through this experience she came back to the world of archaeology, as a writer of archaeological guides and children’s books.
Marina is a researcher in the field of human-computer interaction and a designer and developer of Mixed, Virtual and Augmented reality applications. She loves music, dance and clothes, therefore her research interests focus mainly on the intersection of these arts with technology. She has been a member of the Narralive team since 2017, participating in projects such as :WhoLoDance, Aria, Transitioto8. Also, since 2021 she collaborates with the University of the Aegean, department of Product and System Design Engineering, where she is a phd student as well. She holds a Chemical Engineering Diploma from National Technical University of Athens, a MEng in Design of Industrial and Interactive Products and Systems, University of the Aegean and a Piano Degree from National Conservatoire of Athens.
Marina is a researcher in the field of human-computer interaction and a designer and developer of Mixed, Virtual and Augmented reality applications. She loves music, dance and clothes, therefore her research interests focus mainly on the intersection of these arts with technology.
Vilelmini got her Ph.D. from the Computer Science Department at Rutgers University, NJ, USA in 2018, after completing her engineering degree at the Technical University of Crete, Greece, at the Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. She also attained the Cognitive Science Certificate from Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science in May 2018.
Her research focuses on developing interactive interfaces that augment auditorily and visually (among other ways of sensory augmentation) information recorded from the human body, such as heart activity and movement. She is particularly interested in using these interfaces in real-time to raise awareness of our own sensory-motor system and investigate the human adaptation and learning process. She also loves the blending of those interfaces with artistic practices, including interactive dance performances. Currently, she is also a student of Professional Dance School “Horohronos”, where she studies the practical aspects of classical and contemporary dance.
Her research focuses on developing interactive interfaces that augment auditorily and visually (among other ways of sensory augmentation) information recorded from the human body, such as heart activity and movement. She is particularly interested in using these interfaces in real-time to raise awareness of our own sensory-motor system and investigate the human adaptation and learning process. She also loves the blending of those interfaces with artistic practices, including interactive dance performances. Currently, she is also a student of Professional Dance School “Horohronos”, where she studies the practical aspects of classical and contemporary dance.
Vilelmini got her Ph.D. from the Computer Science Department at Rutgers University, NJ, USA in 2018, after completing her engineering degree at the Technical University of Crete, Greece, at the Electronic and Computer Engineering Department. She also attained the Cognitive Science Certificate from Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science in May 2018.
Marianna studied History & Archeology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a master’s degree in Greek Modern Studies at Oxford University. She is always interested in the subject of her studies, however, since 2010 she is working in the private sector, in the field of marketing. Moreover, in 2020 she added to her extensive experience a master’s degree in Marketing and Communication at the Athens University of Economics. She is specialized in digital marketing, having successfully completed the Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing of Alba Graduate Business School and the Digital Marketing and Social Media Diploma of the Athens University of Economics and Business.
Marianna joined the narralive team in 2021 in order to enhance the awareness of the projects, using the modern tools of digital marketing.
Marianna joined the narralive team in 2021 in order to enhance the awareness of the projects, using the modern tools of digital marketing.
Marianna studied Past members
Vassilis joined the Narralive team long before it had a name, in 2011. He hadn’t even had his degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from NTUA at the time, but luckily he managed to get this during the next year.
In the following years he worked on the EU-funded CHESS project where he discovered his interest in user interaction and user interface design, along with a fascination for cultural heritage experiences.
After CHESS finished, he applied this knowledge into the design and development of a unified system for the creation and presentation of digital cultural heritage experiences which was put in use through the EU-funded EMOTIVE project. In the meantime, he took some time aside to complete his Master’s Degree in Communication and Media Studies with specialisation in Digital Communication Media and Interactive Environments. With his focus being the end-user experience, he is mostly involved in the development of web and mobile applications and user evaluation.
However, he often finds himself involved in various other tasks like project management and coordination, research paper and project proposal writing and pretty much anything else that he can put his hands on.
In the following years he worked on the EU-funded CHESS project where he discovered his interest in user interaction and user interface design, along with a fascination for cultural heritage experiences.
After CHESS finished, he applied this knowledge into the design and development of a unified system for the creation and presentation of digital cultural heritage experiences which was put in use through the EU-funded EMOTIVE project. In the meantime, he took some time aside to complete his Master’s Degree in Communication and Media Studies with specialisation in Digital Communication Media and Interactive Environments. With his focus being the end-user experience, he is mostly involved in the development of web and mobile applications and user evaluation.
However, he often finds himself involved in various other tasks like project management and coordination, research paper and project proposal writing and pretty much anything else that he can put his hands on.
Stamatis holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science and telecommunications at the University of Athens. In the Narralive team, he has been working as a software engineer since January 2018. Narralive’s technological goodies keep him busy as he participates in their design and implementation. In the past, he has also worked on research projects, trying to find answers to his scientific concerns.
Stamatis holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science and telecommunications at the University of Athens. In the
Manos leads a double life, working on his PhD in graph query optimization at night, and waking up early to also help coordinate the software development work in Narralive. Before that, he was a software developer, having developed, among various other projects, a storytelling engine that dynamically adapts the narrative based on the analysis of user interactions and preferences. Luckily, he had undergraduate and postgraduate studies in computer science to help him understand what he was doing. Through his work in Narralive, he has developed a keen interest in turning user requirements to product features, designing software architectures, and coordinating technical processes. More importantly, he came to understand that plans, even detailed and carefully thought-out ones, are never enough: it’s always people that drive things forward, using their intuition and intelligence to overcome, through perseverance and hard work, the complex challenges that no plan can foresee or prevent. He is very happy to have found his place among such talented people in Narralive and is excited to see where this adventure of ours leads us next…
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Manos leads a double life, working on his PhD in graph query optimization at night, and waking up early to also help coordinate the software development work in Narralive. 
Ektor is a research associate and software engineer with experience in several EU-funded and national projects. After completing his studies at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where he studied Computer Science, he joined the narralive team to support the development of its authoring tools and corresponding mobile app, with a keen interest in creating software truly based on user-centered design principles.
Anna is a postgraduate student, currently studying for her MSc in Data Science and Information Technologies, at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She started studying there right after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the same university. She has become interested in the field of cultural heritage, after working on her undergraduate thesis which involved the development of a semi-automated application to annotate text related to this field. She became a member of the narralive team in December 2020, in an effort to learn more about this specific topic and actively aid in the development of related projects.
Pandelis works at the intersection of art, science and technology. He studied Psychology at the University of Athens and Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. His research interests span the fields of creativity, cognition and computing. He enjoys programming computers as much as using them to create audiovisual performances and interactive installations. He joined the team in January 2021 to work on the transdisciplinary project «Transition to 8: Bridging social issues, tech and contemporary art».
Pandelis works at the intersection of art, science and technology. He studied Psychology at the University of Athens and Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. His research interests span the fields of creativity, cognition and computing. He enjoys programming computers as much as using them to create audiovisual performances and interactive installations.